The Indiana Fever turned a lopsided first half into a 96-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, closing the regular season’s penultimate game with another statement from their backcourt.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points to extend her WNBA-record streak of consecutive 20-point games to 27. Caitlin Clark finished with 27 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals — her eighth game this season with at least 20 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds, second-most in the league. Sophie Cunningham added 11 points on three 3-pointers in 29 minutes and surpassed 2,000 career points.
Indiana jumped out 31-16 after one quarter and led 57-34 at halftime. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve sat her starters for much of the second half after the 29-point deficit. Minnesota’s reserves cut the lead to seven by the end of the third, but the Fever answered with a 25-13 fourth quarter.
Aliyah Boston contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds. Chloe Bibby led Minnesota with 15 points; the Lynx starters combined for just 24. Olivia Miles missed the game with a calf injury.
The Fever improved to 28-15 and held their playoff position. The Lynx fell to 32-11. The teams meet again Thursday in Minneapolis in the regular-season finale.
Mitchell has now scored 20 or more in every game since late June, a single-season and all-time WNBA mark. Clark’s line Tuesday was her most complete of the week and pushed her 20-5-5 total to eight, behind only one other player league-wide. Cunningham’s milestone night gave Indiana a third scoring option when the Lynx bench made its run.
The Fever controlled the glass and the paint early, forced Minnesota into a disjointed start, then closed with enough composure to keep a top-four seed in reach. One game remains.
